This application relates generally to impact tools, such as hammers, and, more particularly, relates to hammers of the type designed to minimize rebound, commonly referred to as “dead blow hammers.”
Dead blow hammers are typically provided with a head which is, at least, partially filled with a flowable, rebound-inhibiting material, such as steel pellets or shot. As such, the rebound-inhibiting material absorbs a majority of the impact force when the hammer impacts a work surface and prevents a rebound effect. However, many such hammers have handles which extend into the tubular hammer head, thus impeding the free-flowability of the rebound-inhibiting material.
It is known to provide dead blow hammers formed from a skeleton consisting of a hammer head and handle framework, partially or fully encapsulated or encased within an outer casing or covering which may be overmolded onto the skeleton. However, such prior encapsulated hammers have had complicated or require expensive skeletal structures and/or have been characterized by less than optimal weight distribution between the hammer head and the handle. Further, the hammer head and the handle are typically formed of the same material, thus providing a conduit for the transmission of vibrational forces during use.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,087, which is commonly assigned with the present application, optimizes the weight distribution between the hammer head and the handle and avoids penetration of the head with the handle by providing a radially, outwardly projecting neck tube integrally coupled to the hammer head, such as with a weldment, and adapted to receive a working end of the handle, which may be formed of any material. The hammer head and handle are then overmolded with a plastic material.